


Love of the Father

by Kariki



Series: Detroit: Become Human Prompt Fills [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alice is a sweetheart, Angsted all over this happy prompt, But they're trying damn it, Dysfunctional Family, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Father's Day, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Luther is a large teddy bear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-06-05 14:16:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15172493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kariki/pseuds/Kariki
Summary: Prompt fill from tumblr:DBH Prompt: Fathers day with Markus/Carl, Connor/Hank, and Alice/Luther(this was meant to be happy but most of it is angst. I can't be trusted.)





	1. Markus and Carl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carl wonders if he's a good father, Markus wonders as well.

The hospital room was dim, the light over the bed set to the lowest setting so that the nurses could peek in and check on their patient without waking him. The steady beeping of the heart monitor was a constant sound in the otherwise quiet room. The figure on the bed was curled up on his side, one arm wrapped in a cast and tucked close to his chest while his other hand was chained to the railing with a padded shackle. The police didn’t trust him not to run once he woke up.

Leo was in rough shape, between the drug overdose and his dealer beating him unconscious, it was a miracle he was alive.

“Do you think I’m a bad father?”

Markus tore his gaze away from the figure on the bed to look at his own charge. Carl didn’t look up to meet his gaze, his eyes still focused on his birth son. It had been a long night and morning was starting to brighten the sky outside the window. Carl hadn’t slept at all and it made Markus worry. The older man didn’t need unnecessary stress, his health couldn’t take much of it.

“Why do you ask that?” he asked. It was a common phrase for him, when Carl asked him something he didn’t know how to answer.

“Because my only child is half-dead in a hospital room,” Carl said, the words an obvious attempt at lightness but his voice was cracked and joyless. “You don’t have to answer that, Markus. I know I’m not going to win any awards anytime soon.”

Markus brow furrowed.

“I never wanted to be a father,” Carl continued after a moment, a withered hand, with paint still trapped under the fingernails, reached up to run over his face. “My own wasn’t much to speak of, you know and I never wanted to do that to a kid. I thought... I thought if I kept my distance...” Carl gave a humorless laugh as he wiped at his still red eyes, shaking his head. “Kids though... they have a way of burrowing into your heart, no matter how much you try and keep them out...”

Markus looked back to the figure on the bed.

“I don’t have a father to compare you to,” he finally said, after a few moments, “but I think you try to be a good one.”

Carl shook his head but there was a small smile on his lips. “I think you might be a bit biased, Markus.”

Markus’s lip twitched. “Perhaps.” he conceded. “If I had a father, I would like for him to be like you.”

“Now you’re just flattering me,” Carl smiled, genuine, as he reached out and patted Markus’s hand.

“You should try and get some sleep, Carl,” Markus advised. “I can wake you when Leo wakes up.”

Carl was already shaking his head. “No, I’m alright, Markus. A little sleep-deprivation never hurt anyone.”

Markus wanted to argue against that notion but he knew how Carl was when he had his mind was set on something. He nodded his head and looked back toward the window to watch the sun rise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might do a bonus one for Markus and Leo because I'm all for them repairing the dysfunction and being a family. I'll decide on that later tho.


	2. Hank and Connor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor takes Hank to visit Cole

It was a warm, spring day and the sky was a clear blue, much to Connor’s relief. He had worried that the rainstorms from the last few days would persist and darken the day. Instead, the rain had revitalized the plant life, making the colors all that more vibrant.

He hoped it would help. He wasn’t sure what the protocols were for visiting a graveyard beyond the basics: bring flowers and don’t step on the graves if you could help it. He had brought a small, holographic teddy bear display as well.

He thought it would be nice...

“I don’t think I can do this.” 

Connor looked over to the man beside him. Hank was looking better than he had in years. With Connor to look out for him, he had lost twenty pounds, wasn’t drinking as much, and seemed a bit happier... but one wouldn’t know any of that by looking at him now. 

They were halfway through the cemetery, a few dozen yards away from Cole’s grave. It had been two years since Hank had last set foot anywhere near the place. He hadn’t wanted the reminder, he had said – hadn’t wanted the guilt and grief.

“We don’t have to do this...” Connor said, reassuring. Beside them, Sumo whined, sitting down as he looked up at his two people as they stopped walking. 

He could see Hank debating with himself, fighting the demons in his soul that he was slowly conquering one day at a time.

“No,” Hank finally said, taking a deep breath. “I’ve been putting it off for too long... I need to do this.”

Connor offered him a small smile and patted his shoulder. “I’ll be here with you. Or I can leave you alone with him...?”

Hank didn’t reply but nodded. He handed Sumo’s leash to the android and started forward. Connor reached down and rested a hand on the large dog’s head as they both watched the human for a moment before following after. With every step, Connor saw the tension in Hank’s body increase, saw his blood pressure rise, and his fingers start to tremble but the older man continued on. 

Hank stopped in front of the grave and Connor watched as the man’s shoulders began to shake as he placed a hand on the granite stone.

A sob burst out of him, his body no longer able to hold it in. More sobs broke free from the human until he was hunching over with the force of them, his large hands coming up to cover his face.

Connor only a rudimentary idea of what to do with the grieving... but he knew what he could do for Hank. 

He placed a hand on the larger man’s back, not saying anything or interrupting him but letting him know he was there. When the his legs started to give out, Connor wrapped him in his arms and gently led him to the ground, setting the flowers and bear aside so they wouldn’t be crushed. Sumo whimpered and forced himself into Hank’s arms, pressing in close until his human wrapped his arms around him in a hug.

Finally, after a few moments, Hank didn’t have any more tears to shed. He rested his forehead on Sumo’s back while Connor rested his head on Hank’s shoulder.

“I miss him,” Hank said, his voice a croak from the abuse his throat had just taken. “I miss him so fucking much.”

Connor nodded and hugged the man tighter. “I wish I could have met him.”

He felt Hank nod and he closed his eyes. He wasn’t sure what Hank was to him – a friend, family, or more – but he would never regret the love he felt for the man, not even seeing this glimpse of his future when it would be him crouching at a grave, mourning for years after. 

He hoped this future pain would be worth the prize he had now.


	3. Luther and Alice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luther thinks about his life and Alice makes him a gift

The house was a small, brick ranch set far back into the woods and away from prying eyes. They didn’t want neighbors to notice that they never brought groceries home. The house had a large backyard, half of which was converted into a large garden that grew both vegetables and flowers that they sold for extra money.

They had a nice life out here. Alice could be the forever child she was designed to be, Kara could be the mother she wanted to be, and he... Luther wasn’t sure what his destiny was beyond being with the small family he had found for himself. He had never much had time to dream, to find his place in the world, not beyond these two people who burst into his life and refused to leave.

Luther closed his eyes and let his head fall back. The backporch was covered and thus a few degrees cooler than the yard and he wasn’t expected to leave for his (paying) job for a few more hours. He had time to enjoy the clean air, the scent of dirt and flowers, the sound of Alice’s scribbling as she colored on the floor by his feet.

The sound of the crayons stopping made him open his eyes.

“Are you finished, little one?” he asked, sitting up straight to take a peek. 

Alice snatched the picture up before he could see it and hid it behind her back. She was grinning cheekily at him.

“Yesss,” she said, swaying happily.

“May I see it?” he asked, smiling at her happiness.

“Yesss...” she said but didn’t pull the picture out of its hiding place. “It’s a present for you!”

“A present?” He grinned. “And what did I do to deserve a present?”

“Just cause!” Alice grinned and, with a flourish, held the paper out to him.

Luther gently took the picture and looked. He grinned.

What was clearly their house was drawn in bright pink and in front of it were three stick figure people and one stick figure animal of some kind. Each figure was labeled: Me. Mom. Dad. Sally.

Luther felt a warmth spread through his chest. “I see you,” he smiled at Alice, reaching over to tap her nose. “I see your mother and I see myself. There is one problem, though...” Alice grinned, swaying more. “Who is Sally?”

“...My puppy.”

“Oh?”

Alice nodded eagerly. “The puppy I want to get... since we have such a big yard... and I already drew her picture! So we have to get her now!”

Luther laughed. “Well, how can I argue with that?”

Alice threw her arms up around Luther, hugging him tightly. “Thank you, daddy! I love you!”

“I love you too,” he kissed her dark hair. “We’ll surprise your mother, yes, little one?”

There was always room in their tiny little family for more.


End file.
